This week’s podcast was about making your own bias tape.  Today I will show you how to use the Clover Bias Tape Maker.  You can win one of these, by sending me a picture of you making a continuous bias strip (see yesterday’s post for directions).  The drawing will be held on March 1st, so get me your pictures before then.

On the podcast I mentioned a great video I found on folding the fabric to make your bias strips.  Here it is.

Fast Tube by Casper

How to use the bias tape maker.

  Read the instruction on your bias tape maker.  Find out the maximum width your strip can be to fit into the tool.  These tools come in a variety of sizes from 1/4″ and larger.  The one I am using is a 3/4″ one.

   This is what it looks like from the end.  See the grove that the fabric will go into; a kind of “U” shape.

   Stuff the fabric in, right side down into the bias tape maker.  You may have to push, use a stilleto or pin in the top groove to move it or to pull it out the end.  I used a long pin to dig it out the other side.  This part is a bit difficult, but once you get it through, the device slides effortlessly along the tape.

  See how it comes out all ready folded?!  Wonderful.  Slide it out a little and pin the end to the ironing board to secure it.

 Pull the bias maker along the strip and press the folded fabric coming out.  Remember to go slowly to give the iron time to properly press.

   You can turn the iron to put as much surface space as possible on the strip.  But do not line up the tip of the iron with the center line.  I found that it “unfolded” the strip slightly.

  Of set the tip of the iron.  You get as much surface space but still maintain the fold.

  I found that if you lifted up the bias tape maker off the ironing board slightly it created a better fold coming out.

This week’s podcast was about making your own bias tape.  Today I will show you how to make a continuous bias strip.  You can win a Clover Bias Tape Maker, by sending me a picture of you making a continuous bias strip. The drawing will be held on March 1st, so get me your pictures before then.

   Start off with a perfect square.  I am using a 10″ square for demonstration purposes, but you could make your square 44 inches.

    Set it on point and cut it in half; corner to corner.

   You now have two triangles.  Place them next to each other, short sides together.  It makes a parellelogram type shape.

   Fold one down so that right sides are together.  Stitch using a 1/4″ seam.

   Press the seam open.

   Mark your cutting lines, the width of the strip you want to make.  I did 1 1/2″ for my Bias Tape Maker.  ***Note – my pictures show me marking the right side of the fabric.  I found it is easier when you mark the wrong side of the fabric.

   Put the two short sides of the triangle together, right sides together, matching the cutting lines; but off-setting by one line.  See how the end of each piece of loose.

   Stitch seam and press open.  You now have a tube.

   Cut along the cutting line.  You will see that you are cutting in a spiral and have one continusous bias strip.

   The only downside to doing this s that some of your seams are close together and they go in different angles.  Also, you are using scissors to cut the strips, so it is not as acurate.  But these strips are great to put through the Bias tape maker (tomorrow’s post).